BNM international reserves drop US$1.1b to US$101.7b

Bank Negara Malaysia’s (BNM) international reserves eased to US$101.7 billion as at Oct 31, 2018, from US$102.8 billion as at Oct 15, 2018.

The central bank said in a statement today that the reserves position would be sufficient to finance 7.5 months of retained imports and was 0.9 times the short-term external debt.

The main components of the international reserves comprised foreign currency reserves at US$96 billion, International Monetary Fund reserves position (US$900 million), Special Drawing Rights (SDRs) (US$1.1 billion), gold (US$1.5 billion) and other reserve assets (US$2.2 billion).

BNM said assets included gold and foreign exchange and other reserves including SDRs which amounted to RM421.5 billion, Malaysian government papers (RM3.39 billion), loans and advances (RM6.99 billion), land and buildings (RM4.18 billion), and other assets (RM6.95 billion).

Liabilities comprised paid-up capital (RM100 million), reserves (RM132.97 billion), currency in circulation (RM103.14 billion), deposits by financial institutions (RM157.07 billion), Federal government deposits (RM9.49 billion), other deposits (RM952.93 million), BNM papers (RM28.56 billion), allocation of SDRs (RM7.77 billion), and other liabilities (RM2.96 billion).

- Bernama